Fad diets

I changed the way I eat last October. Dropped the amount of carbs i consumed especially processed carbs like bread, pasta and white rice while at the same time I started eating foods high in FAT!! Tasty FAT!!! Mmmm after seeing triathlete pals do very well by eating the same way and doing quite a bit of research. Not talking about totally dropping carbs like i think you do on atkins, just for example not having the 3 slices of wholemeal bread with my dinner time soup at work, not having massive portions of pasta or rice with tea etc and eating more cheese, (lots of cheese), all meat, nuts, eggs, full cream milk, Greek full fat yogurt etc. I also changed 'healthy' spreads & oils like low fat sunflower spread& vegetable oil for butter & cocunut oil. I snack on cream crackers & cheese as well

I expected like with Atkins to have a energy slump for a week or two but had quite the opposite. Gone were the mid run energy slumps and occasional gingerbreadman momements and I got more energy. Someone I told at the start said about cholesterol so I had a test then one each month for November, December & January. My cholesterol improved each month.

I started at 12st 2 with 15% BF which is now 10% BF while eating FAT!!! and I have managed to marathon train with two 20+ with no hitting the wall because my body doesn't rely on glycogen. It utilises FAT!!! For energy. I now weigh 11st 6 and fitter, lighter & faster. All this while eating loads of FAT!!! Inc........lots of SATURATED FAT!!!!! :-O

Is this a fad diet? No it's a way of eating. I am yet to speak to anyone of the growing number of athletes who are eating this way who haven't experienced positive effects.

Runningowl - I use coconut oil, I have a teaspoon in my tea (mainly for it's anti-bacterial properties). I've read about it's health benefits, the saturated fat in it is very healthy and apparently promotes the body towards burning fat as fuel. I must admit to not entirely understanding how all this works though. I've also moved to eating more butter and my cholesterol has remained pretty static too.

There is the theory that fats are not bad but it's refined or processed carbs. Theory is it's since our society switched to more processed carbs/foods the obesity crisis started.

Refined carbs/sugars are in so many foods they have no right to be in. Hidden sugars in savory foods? It makes it taste better, so it sells better. Commercial sense but not sense for our nation.

If you reduce these carbs, partly by eating food closer to it's natural state, you are eating healthier. Some even claim you can eat proteins and fats a lot more. It does work with some too.

Another thing was with eggs. Years ago they said only eat a couple a week because they are full of cholesterol. Or only eat the egg whites. Truth is you can and should eat as many eggs as you want. They are high in cholesterol but only one type. The type that actually helps destroy the cholesterol in the blood that clogs arteries. Basically eggs help lower bad cholesterol.

I use this example to show how it all gets over simplified. Something gets condemned or proposed as part of diet or health advice based on basic Under standing. But its still wrong. I think sometimes that's how fad diet creators work.

I also think eating food cooked from scratch and regular exercise is the only diet / exercise regime that works. But only if you control your portions. If overweight use a smaller plate to prevent over filling.

Sat fats bad rep came from the a US report which was sponsored by the US food companies who had discovered the corn syrup that saved the American economy in the 1960s. Even these days it's the US & UK food agencies who now poo poo anyone that says different

Prof Tim noakes, who is/was considered the godfather of sport nutrition has gone full circle and advocates low carb/high fat.

BTW I got a bit heavy for my liking once. Courtesy of family telling me I was getting fat. (An achievement for me who had been skinny from about 4 yrs old). I cut out half my packs of crisp and chocolate bars three times a day. I lost 2 stones in 2/3 weeks. I had been going to the gym for years. I switched my routine to more cv exercise and did inclined sit-ups. The intensity increased a bit but I didn't work out any longer. I pretty much didn't change my diet that much. I put it down to my metabolism. I believe lowering calories can slow metabolism which can be very counterproductive.

Refined carbs/sugars are in so many foods they have no right to be in. Hidden sugars in savory foods? It makes it taste better, so it sells better. Commercial sense but not sense for our nation.

If you reduce these carbs, partly by eating food closer to it's natural state, you are eating healthier.

Yep, I've done exactly this over the last month and am steadily losing weight and have loads more energy. I've become quite obsessive at looking at ingredients now and I'm horrified at how much hidden refined sugar there is in savoury stuff.

Fats are also better at telling the brain that you are full and don't need any more food. Carbs aren't very good at that so you will eat more, or feel hungrier on a low fat diet. That's where diets like WW and SW fall down as they encourage you to cut out one of the foods that leaves you feeling satisfied.

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